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special appointment so that adequate time can be given to a
general examination of each child and talk to each mother. The
other mothers attend for purely educational sessions each time.
In both clubs it was decided to combine the educational sessions
for the mothers with nursery play groups for the children and
the demand in one club soon became so great that a larger room
was needed, an average of 40 mothers and 50-60 children were
attending. The health visitors running the clubs could not cope
with the heavy demands made on them were it not for the continued
support of the voluntary workers who look after the nursery
sections. There is no doubt that there is a great need for more
clubs of this nature in the town.
The popularity of the mothers' and parents' clubs held in
the evenings, and also run by the health visitors, continues and
membership increases steadily. They have grown in strength to
become well-integrated groups with wide interests and showing
marked capabilities and initiative. They have also revealed the
great extent of loneliness even among young happily married
couples. Labour saving devices, television and only the company
all day of a young baby, still unable to talk, do not provide
enough stimulation for girls who have held interesting posts,
generally in the company of other people, before they were
married. Some have been in Croydon for many months and for
various reasons were unable to make friends until introduced to
one of these clubs by another member or a health visitor. The
year's programmes have been chosen by the members and have been
very varied and interesting. One club is hoping to start a small
library for its members. The project is being put to them and
it is hoped that they will organise the fund raising, buying and
lending of the books. The members of another club were anxious
to find out if someone could sit with mothers during labour in
hospital, so they wrote to the Matrons of the local Maternity
Hospitals and received most courteous and encouraging replies.
Infant Welfare Centres
Progress in health education in the Infant Welfare Centres,
with one or two exceptions, was disappointing. By trial and
error and with enthusiasm and different techniques it has been
proved that with the skilful use of simple displays, centres can
be made more interesting. There is no lack of public interest
or demand for information and it is a pity not to make the best
use of every opportunity.